French Kiss
by merder32
Summary: "I don't know what a French kiss is like," she said. In response, he showed her exactly what a French kiss is like. A story of dreams, fate and finding true love in the City of Lights. AU One-shot. MerDer.


**A/N: So, a new AU oneshot. Something I haven't done before, but I thought I'd try my hand at it. This AU oneshot is my tribute to Paris after the recent terrorist attacks. Hope you guys enjoy it! Oh, and the names of the places mentioned here are, as usual, real, but the names of the owners have been changed according to my will. For those who don't understand French, I have provided the meanings of all the French words and sentences at the end of the story, so you can refer to that. Another thing – the title of this fic has been taken from the 1995 movie, but the story isn't even remotely similar to the film's plotline. All said and done. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **French Kiss**

* * *

Meredith Grey stood on the bank of the Seine River in Paris, wearing a white sweater and jeans and gazing at the river stretching in front of her. It was the month of November, and the weather was cold and wet in the City of Lights. But, Meredith didn't mind the chilly weather. Her eyes swept over the beautiful river stretching on for miles, and she let out a contented sigh as she stood by the river and watched the sun going down. Before coming to Paris, she had heard a lot of things about the place. She had also heard that sunset by the Seine was a scene to behold. But now, standing by the Seine while the sun went down, she was realizing just how beautiful the scene was. The sky was tinged with a soft blue hue, and resplendent splashes of orange, red and gold contrasted against the powder blue. The colour of the sky was reflected in the water of the river, giving the river a gorgeous, bright orange tint. The last rays of the sun lit the sky and touched the rooftops of the city. It was truly a sight to behold and Meredith couldn't tear her eyes away from the scene as she watched numerous boats cruising the river, illuminated by the orange-red sky.

"Est – ce pas beau?" a deep male voice said from beside Meredith, causing her to snap out of her trance. She averted her eyes from the river and turned her gaze sideways to find a tall, good-looking, dark-haired man wearing a red shirt standing beside her. He spoke French without an accent, but he looked like an American. His eyes were, however, trained on her, not on the scene in front of them.

"Tres magnifique," Meredith replied in a soft voice, giving the man an appraising look from head to toe. Her eyes finally locked on his, and Meredith gasped inwardly at how blue the man's eyes were. Deep midnight-blue, like the ocean. She felt like she could drown in those two pools of blue.

"A beautiful girl by the beautiful river," the man said with a tender smile, causing Meredith to crack a smile of her own.

"Thank you," she replied, causing the man's pupils to dilate in surprise. His mouth fell open slightly, and Meredith laughed.

"You – you can speak English?" the man asked, looking a little embarrassed.

"Yes, I can. So can you, I see," Meredith rejoined as the man's cheeks coloured slightly. He had definitely thought that she was French, so he had thrown out the compliment in English thinking that she wouldn't understand it. Meredith smiled as she watched the man blush. She had only met him, but he was adorable.

"Oh, well, I'm American..." the man said with a charming smile, quickly covering up his initial embarrassment.

"What a coincidence! So am I," Meredith exclaimed and then added, "Well, partly American."

The man quirked an eyebrow at her and she elaborated, "My dad is American. My mom is French."

"Oh, I see," the man replied. "That's why you can speak French without an accent? Because your mom taught you?"

Meredith's face fell on hearing the question and she turned her eyes back towards the river. She didn't know if she wanted to laugh sarcastically or cry in response. How could she tell this perfect stranger that her mom had never been there to teach her French? He was only a random stranger, after all. She couldn't bare her heart and soul to a stranger.

"You don't have to answer my question if you don't want to," the man said, noticing her faraway look and melancholy expression.

Meredith snapped out of her thoughts and turned towards the man to give him a smile. "Thanks. I really don't want to talk about it. So...How do you speak French without an accent if you are American?"

"Well, I am American, but I was born and bred here. I have lived here all my life, so French has almost become my mother tongue. But, Mom and Dad always talked in English at home, so my English is just as flawless," the man replied, his self-confidence touching on arrogance.

"Hmm...Aren't you a little arrogant, uh – um –"

"Derek," the man supplied.

"Derek," Meredith said, liking the way his name rolled off of her tongue. "I'm Meredith," she said, outstretching her hand.

He took her hand and Meredith immediately felt a jolt of electricity running through her body. Her heartbeat increased of its own accord as the handsome stranger shook her hand with a suave smile.

"Meredith," the stranger, who now had a name, said, "You know, you are the first woman to call me arrogant right after meeting me." He finished with a chuckle.

Meredith looked down coyly and noticed that her and Derek's hands were still clasped together firmly. She slowly withdrew her hand from his grip and looked up at him timidly. She and her big mouth. She had probably ended up affronting him. Why did she have to be so damn foolish at times?

"I – uh – Sorry," she stammered, "Sorry if I offended you. I – I didn't mean it like that."

Derek's face broke out into a grin. "I am not offended at all! I know that I can be arrogant sometimes and I like it that you have the courage to say the truth. Not many people have it," he said and then noticed her mortified expression. "Hey, it really is okay. I didn't mind," he said reassuringly.

"Oh, okay then," Meredith said, looking up with a grateful smile.

"So, Meredith...What is a beautiful girl like you doing here all alone?" Derek asked, changing the topic. "Shouldn't you have your boyfriend by your side? You are in the City of Love, after all."

Meredith smiled as he complimented her once more and rejoined, "I don't have a boyfriend. I am just here to travel."

"Alone?" Derek asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Yes. I hope you are not trying to take advantage of that fact," Meredith said in a mock stern tone but ended up giggling as she said it.

"I would never!" Derek said with a soft gasp, feigning shock. "Cross my heart."

"I'll hold you to that," Meredith said, turning her eyes back towards the river. "God, Seine really is breathtaking during sundown," she remarked in a soft voice.

"It is," Derek said, gazing at the river too. "Can I ask you something?" he asked, his eyes still trained on the orange –red sky and the river.

"Mmmhmmm..." Meredith hummed, not tearing her eyes away from the river as a cool breeze began to blow.

"What are you looking for here?"

Meredith's face froze in shock. She even forgot to answer Derek in her shock as she breathed in deeply.

"I'm sorry. You don't have to answer that," Derek quickly said when Meredith remained silent. "I am a stranger to you. I get it. I shouldn't have crossed my limits."

Only then did Meredith remember that she had yet to answer Derek. She swallowed a little before turning her head and looking into Derek's midnight-blue eyes. "Oh no, it's alright. I – I was just shocked as to why you'd ask that question? Why'd you think that I am looking for something here?" she said, her eyes shining.

Derek shrugged his shoulders. "I – your eyes," he replied simply.

"My eyes?"

"Yes, your eyes. They were looking for something...As if – as if searching for...an answer...Or something like that," Derek murmured.

"Oh," Meredith said softly, looking away. "I – I..." she said and then sighed loudly. "I don't know, Derek. I don't know what I am looking for, but I guess you are right. I am looking for something...What – that I don't know yet."

"That's ok," Derek said, giving her a smile. "It's ok not to know. You'll find out sooner or later," he said.

Meredith mirrored his smile as another gust of wind assaulted the duo, making Meredith shiver a little.

"Hey, it's getting cold here. Would you like to go and get a cup of coffee?" Derek asked as Meredith rubbed her arms with her palms. "Mon restaurant est juste en face de la rue."

"Votre restaurant?" Meredith asked, surprise lacing her voice. "You own a restaurant?"

"Oui," Derek said, beaming. "Come on, it's getting cold here anyway."

"Okay. I hope you are not an axe murderer or psychopath of some kind, Monsieur Derek," Meredith said with a playful giggle.

Meredith's giggle made Derek's heart soar for some weird reason. It was light and airy and just so...innocent. Derek took to it immediately and he couldn't explain why.

"I can assure you that I'm not an axe murderer or a psychopath. Besides, my restaurant is right across the street. It's not like I am taking you to my home," Derek said with a lazy grin. The double entendre caused Meredith's cheeks to turn a shade of pink.

Derek only chuckled in response as he led Meredith towards his restaurant. As the twosome neared the entrance of the restaurant, Meredith noticed the word "L'Ambroisie" engraved above the door in capital letters.

"Joli nom," Meredith said with a small smile. "You named your restaurant well."

Derek beamed at her as he led her inside the restaurant. "Merci! But, I didn't name this restaurant. My dad did. This was our family restaurant," he replied.

"Was?" Meredith asked unthinkingly as she looked around the warm and cosy restaurant.

"Yes. Both my parents passed away, and I am a single child," Derek said with a sad smile as he led Meredith to a table and pulled out a chair for her.

Meredith's eyes immediately found his and she covered her mouth with her hand. "Oh God, I'm so sorry, Derek. I – I am sorry," she said sympathetically, reaching out for his hand. Taking his hand in hers, she squeezed it tightly to offer him comfort.

"It's okay. It's been four years. Four years is a long time," Derek said with a sad smile, squeezing her hand back. "Come, let's sit," he said and motioned Meredith to sit.

Meredith settled down in the chair that Derek had pulled out for her as Derek took the chair on the opposite side of the round table. Their eyes locked, and Derek hailed a waiter.

"So, what do you want?" Derek asked Meredith.

"Um...A café crème and a chocolate croissant - pain au chocolat," Meredith replied. "I love chocolate croissants, and the best are almost always found in Paris."

"Hmm...You know Paris well," Derek remarked and turned to the waiter. "Deux crèmes de café et deux pains au chocolat," he said to the waiter in French and the waiter walked away.

"Have you been to Paris before?" Derek asked, turning his attention back to Meredith.

Meredith shook her head no and Derek furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "Then, how do you know that Paris has the best chocolate croissants?" he queried quizzically.

"Internet," Meredith said with a light chuckle. "And my dad," she added, "He told me a lot about Paris. This is where my parents first met, so..." She shrugged.

"Oh really? Your parents first met in Paris? That's so romantic! Meeting in the City of Love – it's like fate! Like it's meant to be," Derek said with a wide grin.

"Yeah..." Meredith murmured, swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat. Fate, meant to be – Meredith thought sarcastically. Well, you could say that it was fate. But, it was definitely not meant to be. No way.

"So..." Meredith said, attempting to change the topic, "Tell me more about yourself, Derek."

"Oh," Derek said, "Well, I am not a very interesting person to know. Let's see...Um, my favourite colour is blue. Not light blue, indigo. Favourite ice-cream, coffee. I like backpacking and travelling. I love art and music. And occasionally, I like a good cigar."

"Wow! We have a lot in common!" Meredith exclaimed with sparkling eyes. "I love travelling and art and music too!"

"Really? That's awesome. What else do you like? What do you do?" Derek asked.

"I have a degree in travel and tourism," Meredith said and the duo engaged in a long conversation as the waiter arrived with their coffee and snacks.

Two hours later, Meredith and Derek finally made their way out of "L'Ambroisie" and walked side by side on the street.

"So..." Meredith said, coming to an abrupt halt.

"So," Derek said, stopping too.

"Derek...I – I had a great time with you," Meredith said with a tender smile. "It was nice meeting you."

"The pleasure is all mine," Derek said, taking Meredith's hand and pressing a soft kiss to her knuckles.

Meredith's breath caught in her throat at the gesture, and she couldn't help but smile. She liked Derek – she really liked Derek. He made her feel things that she had never felt for any man before. He made her heart beat in her chest ten times faster, he made her giggle and laugh, he made her happy. In the short time that she had known Derek, she already felt connected to him deeply. However, she knew that the time had come and she had to leave.

"Um – I – I should go now," Meredith murmured begrudgingly, even though she wanted to do anything but leave.

Derek's face fell at her statement; he looked visibly crestfallen and upset. However, he didn't say anything. He kept quiet and just gazed into Meredith's eyes.

"Bye, Derek," Meredith murmured sadly, looking straight into Derek's blue eyes before starting to walk away. However, after taking a few steps, she whirled around to find Derek standing in the same spot, his eyes downcast.

"Derek?" she called out to him, causing his gaze to snap up to her. "I am planning to go on a tour of Paris tomorrow. And I'm staying at the L'horset Opera, room no. 309," she said, her lips quirking upwards as she watched a grin spread out on Derek's face, his eyes twinkling. She bit her lower lip coyly and then said, "Au revoir, Derek!"

As Meredith turned around to walk away, she heard Derek call out to her. "Au revoir, Meredith!" he called out as Meredith started to walk away. Meredith simply shook her head and smiled to herself as she continued walking forward.

* * *

The next day, Meredith opened the door of her hotel room in the morning to find Derek standing there in a dark blue shirt, with a bouquet of red calla lilies in his hands.

"Bonjour, Madame!" Derek greeted her with a winsome smile as soon as the door swung open.

"Bonjour!" Meredith replied, pleasantly surprised by Derek's appearance at her door. When she had told him the name of her hotel and her room number the previous day, a part of her had thought that he would probably choose not to come. They had only known each other for a few hours – he was not obligated to come on her tour of Paris with her. But, seeing Derek standing outside her room with a bouquet of the loveliest flowers, Meredith's heart soared with happiness for some strange reason.

"These are for you," Derek said as he held out the nosegay to her.

"Oh, belles fleurs! Merci," Meredith said as she accepted the bouquet with a smile of her own.

"So, ready for your Visite de Paris?" Derek asked, leaning against the doorframe.

"You bet I am," Meredith said with a light giggle. "Do you want to come in or...?" she trailed off, biting her lower lip uncertainly.

"If you are ready to go, then I am too," Derek said. "We have to go to a lot of places today, so we better get going."

"Oh, okay. Um, let me get the key then," Meredith said and proceeded to get the key of the room.

* * *

The first place on Meredith's itinerary was Notre Dame de Paris or the Notre-Dame Cathedral. As Meredith and Derek walked inside the cathedral together, Meredith marvelled at the beauty of the cathedral.

"The Notre Dame de Paris, French for –"Derek started to say, but was interrupted by Meredith.

"Our lady of Paris," Meredith finished for him and smiled. "It's one of the finest examples French Gothic architecture, and I can clearly see why," she said as she looked around the beautiful cathedral.

Derek smiled in response and said, "This building was among the first buildings in the world to use the flying buttress. There are ten bells in this cathedral, and it is possible –"

"To have a view of its most famous bell, Emmanuel, as well as a spectacular view across Paris on reaching the top of the Cathedral," Meredith finished for him once again as the two of them walked side by side.

"Wow, you seem to know a lot about this place," Derek remarked with a chuckle.

"Yeah, well, I have been reading a lot of stuff about this place on the internet," Meredith admitted with a sheepish grin.

The duo walked over to the altar and Meredith kneeled down in front of it to pray. Derek knelt down beside her and watched her calm, innocent face as she prayed. After finishing their prayers, Meredith lit a candle and said, "You know, it is said that every prayer said in this cathedral is answered, and once the prayer is answered, the person who prayed comes back to light another candle here."

"Do you believe it?" Derek asked as he lit a candle too. "Do you believe that every prayer said here is answered?"

"I don't know," Meredith said with a shrug of her shoulders. "But, it doesn't hurt to keep the faith," she added with a smile and proceeded to climb up to the top of the cathedral with Derek in tow.

* * *

The duo's next stop was The Louvre Palace and Museum. It is located on the right bank of the Seine River and houses the famous painting of The Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci. As Derek began to describe the history of the palace and the museum, Meredith cut in and said, "I know, Derek. This is one of the largest museums in the world. I know all about its Egyptian antiquities, Islamic art and of course, the famous painting of Mona Lisa. It's amazing to see all of it with my own eyes."

"You say that you have never been to Paris, but you already seem to know more about this city than I do," Derek remarked with a chuckle. "Have you really never been to Paris? Or are you an undercover FBI agent on a mission or something?"

Meredith smacked his bicep lightly in response and the twosome walked all around the museum to see the antiquities and paintings.

* * *

The day passed by quickly as Meredith and Derek visited the Grand Palais, the Tuileries Garden, the National Museum of Modern Art in Paris and the various other tourist spots. By nightfall, there was only one more place left on Meredith's itinerary – the famed Eiffel Tower.

The duo ascended to the third level of the tower on an elevator, and Meredith gasped as she gazed at the view of Paris from the top of the tower.

"Oh my God! Derek, this ... this is breathtaking! Tres jolie!" Meredith exclaimed as her eyes swept over the view of the entire city, adorned with numerous bright lights. Paris – The City of Lights.

"I know," Derek said as he gazed at the view and then turned his eyes towards Meredith's amazed face. "Meredith, can I ask you something?"

"Yeah..." Meredith said, her eyes still locked on the view, her lips stretched into a wide smile. A soft, gentle breeze was blowing, making Meredith's hair fly into her face. Meredith tried to tame her wild tresses as Derek continued staring at her.

"You wanted to ask something?" Meredith said as she tried to brush her hair away from her face.

Derek reached out for her face and gently tucked a wild strand of hair behind her ear. Meredith tensed up a little at his sudden touch, but then she relaxed completely and leant into his touch slightly, looking deeply in his cerulean eyes.

"You have never been to Paris," Derek said, their eyes transfixed on each other, "yet you know so much about it. You probably know the city better than me. Is there anything you don't know?" The corner of his mouth quirked up slightly as he gazed into her grey-green eyes.

Meredith looked away from his intense stare, her cheeks colouring. She turned her eyes towards the spectacular view for a minute, gazing at it before turning her eyes back towards Derek. "I –"she murmured softly, "Uh – um – actually, there is something that I don't know." She looked up at Derek coyly through her long eyelashes.

"Really? What?" Derek said with an amused expression.

"I..." Meredith said and trailed off, staying mum for a minute. Derek didn't push her further. After a minute or two of silence, Meredith finally murmured in a low voice, "I don't...I don't know what a French kiss is like. I have never..." she trailed off, looking away from Derek.

Meredith felt Derek inch closer to her, and a chill ran down her spine. She trained her eyes on an invisible spot on the ground as Derek leant even closer to her.

"You have never French kissed anyone?" Derek asked in a husky voice, surprising both himself and Meredith.

Meredith gently shook her head no, and Derek tipped her face up by placing his index finger under her chin. He lifted her face and their eyes locked. Intense blue clashed with grey green, and the next thing Meredith knew, Derek had captured her lips firmly with his own.

Meredith took only a fraction of second to respond to his firm yet gentle kiss. Their mouths fused together as Derek gently sucked and nibbled on her bottom lip. He then parted her lips with his own and thrust his tongue inside her moist cavern, earning a soft gasp from her. Meredith moaned softly into his mouth as their tongues melded and meshed together. Derek's tongue played with hers, exploring every crevice of her sweet cavern - probing, tasting. Before long, their tongues were engaged in a fierce duel for power and control – a duel that left both of them panting and craving more.

Finally, they broke the fiercely passionate kiss and came up for air. Both of them looked at each other as they gasped and panted for breath. After a few seconds of trying to catch his breath, Derek gave Meredith a crooked smile and said breathlessly, "That – is what a French kiss is like."

Meredith laughed a throaty laugh, still feeling breathless. Her heart was beating erratically in her chest and she could feel the adrenaline pumping in her veins. She felt a wild excitement – a rush coursing through her veins that she had never experienced before. What was it with Derek that made her feel things she had never experienced before? She smiled to herself and took in long, deep breaths to regain her composure.

"Look, it's snowing!" Derek exclaimed suddenly, causing Meredith to look up from the ground. Snowflakes had filled the air. It was snowing indeed. Meredith smiled and outstretched her hand to catch the tiny snowflakes in her palm.

"I love snow," Meredith whispered as she and Derek stood side by side on the tower, looking at the snowflakes that were falling down on the City of Lights.

* * *

Derek swung open the door of his house and allowed Meredith to walk inside. He shut the door behind himself and followed Meredith to the living room.

"So...This is where you live?" Meredith asked, looking around the large living room of the house.

"Yep," Derek replied as he threw his keys down and took off his coat. "Home sweet home."

"Nice. Your place is nice. Very...warm and cosy," Meredith said as she plopped down on the plush leather couch and looked at the ornate fireplace.

"Merci, Madame," Derek said with a charming smile as he rolled up the sleeves of his shirt and walked towards the fireplace. "I'll start a fire. It's getting cold," he said.

"That would be divine," Meredith replied as she watched him crouch down in front of the fireplace. She let her eyes wander around the living room, and suddenly, her eyes landed on a guitar kept on one of the shelves.

"You play the guitar?" Meredith asked, raising her eyebrows as she looked at the guitar.

"I do," Derek said with a nod of his head as he started a fire.

"That's awesome! You have to play it for me now," Meredith said as she walked over to him and crouched down beside him.

"But," Derek said, poking the fire with a poker, "Meredith, it's been a while since I played it."

"Derek," Meredith said, giving him her best puppy dog expression, "pleeeeaaaase? One song? For me?"

Derek sighed in defeat. "Fine. One song. Only for you," he said, "But you don't get to mock me if it's not that good."

"Oh, I'm sure it'll be great," Meredith said as she sat down beside the fireplace, crossing her legs in Indian style. "I'll sit here, it's closer to the fireplace," she said when Derek gave her a quizzical expression.

Derek nodded and went to get his guitar. Meredith stared at the pieces of burning coal and got lost in her thoughts.

"Hey," Derek said, snapping her back to reality.

"Hey," Meredith said, looking up at him as he sat down beside her with his guitar. "Sorry, I spaced out. Go on, play a song," she said with an encouraging smile.

"Any song?" Derek asked as he positioned the guitar on his lap.

"Any song."

"Oh, okay," Derek said and started to pluck the strings of the guitar with his plectrum.

 _ **I remember tears streaming down your face when I said "I'll never let you go"**_

 _ **When all those shadows almost killed your light**_

 _ **I remember you said "don't leave me here alone"**_

 _ **But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight**_

 _ **Just close your eyes, the sun is going down**_

 _ **You'll be alright, no one can hurt you now**_

 _ **Come morning light, you and I'll be safe and sound**_

 _ **Don't you dare look out your window, darling everything's on fire**_

 _ **The war outside our door keeps raging on**_

 _ **Hold onto this lullaby even when the music's gone, gone**_

 _ **Just close your eyes, the sun is going down**_

 _ **You'll be alright, no one can hurt you now**_

 _ **Come morning light, you and I'll be safe and sound...**_

Derek finished singing the song and plucked the string of the guitar one final time. Then, he lapsed into silence, and Meredith looked up at him with teary eyes.

"Wow, Derek," she said softly, "That was...I am speechless. That was wonderful. You are an amazing singer." She gave him a wide smile.

"Hmm..." Derek hummed as he placed the guitar aside. "This song, it means a lot to me...Brings up a lot of memories," he whispered as the fire crackled.

"What kind of memories?" Meredith asked, shifting to sit closer to him.

"My mom's memories. She used to sing this song to me too, when I was a child," Derek said in a low voice, staring at the fire.

Meredith remained silent for a minute, before placing her hand on Derek's arm and rubbing it. "Derek...Can I ask you something?" she said nervously.

"Yeah...Go ahead..."

"How did your parents die?" Meredith asked, her eyes softening as she watched Derek's eyes glistening eyes.

Derek took in a deep breath and said in a low whisper, "My mom and dad...They used to run our restaurant together. In those days, many antisocial activities were going on in Paris. One night, our restaurant was open till 11 p.m. It was Thanksgiving – a holiday, so there were a lot of customers in the restaurant. I was away backpacking in Corsica with my friends at that time. Suddenly, a group of five terrorists entered the restaurant, and started pointing guns at innocent customers and breaking things. When my mom and dad tried to stop them, they... shot my mom first, and then my dad. They also shot a lot of people in the restaurant that night...That's...that's how..." Derek couldn't go on anymore and broke into sobs.

Meredith wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly, rubbing slow circles on his back with her palm. He buried his face into her shoulder and sobbed for a long, long time, before his sobs finally ceased. He pulled back from Meredith's embrace, his eyes red and puffy.

"Sorry...I didn't mean to...break down like that..." he said, knuckling his eyes. "I just...I have never talked to anyone about this before," he confessed.

Meredith gave him a sympathetic look, her own eyes glistening with tears. "I'm so sorry, Derek. I'm so sorry. I – I shouldn't have asked," she said, looking down at her hands.

"No, no, it's okay. I – you are the first person I have said all this to. That's all," Derek admitted, looking up at her.

Meredith sighed deeply as she said, "I...I'm glad that you could trust me to say all these things to me. After all, I am all but a stranger to you."

Derek, who had regained his composure by now, gave her a small smile and said, "You are not a stranger to me, Meredith. Believe me, I trust you more than I have ever trusted anyone in my entire life. Something about you...Something about you is so innocent, so...pure, that I can easily trust you. I know that we have only known each other for 24 hours or so, but I already feel so...deeply connected to you."

Meredith looked up at him with a small smile playing on her lips. "So, you have felt it too. It's not all in my head then," she said with a soft chuckle.

"Definitely not all in your head. The...the connection – the chemistry between us...it's undeniable," Derek said softly, "What do they say in poetic language? Sparks flying between us or something like that..."

Meredith giggled at his last statement but sobered up quickly. She locked eyes with him, and the two of them gazed at each other for a long moment, before Derek finally moved from his position and leant forward. Capturing her soft lips with his own, he cradled her head in his palms as he kissed her deeply, passionately, soulfully.

Meredith moved her hands to his shoulders as she kissed him back with equal passion. She caressed his neck, his shoulders, his back with her hands as their tongues duelled with each other fiercely. Soon enough, they tore away every piece of clothing from each other's body and their bodies locked in a naked embrace.

Derek laid Meredith down gently on the wooden floor next to the fireplace and moved on top of her. Bracing himself on his arms, he allowed Meredith to wrap her legs around his waist tightly as he thrust into her. He thrust into her over and over again, gently at first, then picking up his pace as they both neared their peaks of pleasure. Beads of perspiration glistened on their bodies. He peppered kisses on her jaw line, her neck, her shoulders, her collarbone and her lips as they both finally shattered into ultimate bliss.

* * *

Meredith lay in Derek's naked embrace for a long time, basking in the afterglow of their lovemaking. The duo lay naked on the floor beside the fireplace, each lost in his or her own thoughts. Minutes passed by, and the companionable silence stretched on. Finally, Derek kissed Meredith's shoulder from behind and propped himself up on his elbow.

"Whatcha thinking about?" he asked in a whisper, peppering kisses on her collarbone.

Meredith turned around to lie on her back and gazed up at Derek's sinfully handsome face. "Nothing. Just...stuff," she replied with a faraway look in her eyes.

"What kind of stuff?" Derek asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

"I..." Meredith bit her lip, hesitating for a moment. But then, she remembered how Derek had told her about his parents' death. She now knew that she could trust him enough to tell him. "I am thinking about my mom," Meredith said in a throaty whisper.

"Your mom?"

"Yes, her. I don't like to talk about her...and that's because..." Meredith said, pausing for a minute before finally muttering, "because I'm a love child, Derek. My parents never married each other."

Derek stayed silent, waiting for Meredith to continue.

"I – my mom was always a carefree, wild spirit. She was always very free-spirited. She loved to travel and see the world. She didn't want to settle down, ever. And my dad was okay with that. He loved her for that. They met here, in Paris, and fell madly in love with each other. They knew that maintaining a relationship while Mom was away travelling would be difficult, but somehow, they managed. My dad never stopped my mom from doing what made her happy. But then, then, she became pregnant with me. My mom was ready to compromise – she was ready to settle down and sacrifice her own dreams for me. But, my dad wouldn't have it. He didn't want her to kill her dreams for him and me. And so...When I was two years old, my mom left me and my dad. My dad brought me up alone, but he never brainwashed me against my mother or harboured any rancorous feeling towards her. He always told me that my mother loved me a lot – that she just left me to chase her dreams. And I did believe him, but I have always felt so...so abandoned by her," Meredith finished on a sob.

"Hey, shhh..." Derek soothed her, wrapping his strong arms around her tightly. Meredith buried her face in his neck and let the tears flow freely. Minutes ticked by, and Meredith finally regained her composure again.

"I – when I was leaving for Paris," Meredith said in a raspy voice, "my dad gave me a letter. He said that Mom had written the letter for me before leaving, and that she had told my dad not to give it to me till I was old enough to understand her choice. I have been in Paris for about a week now, and I have been carrying the letter around in my bag, but for some reason, I haven't had the courage to open it."

"Then open it now," Derek urged her gently and Meredith nodded. Getting up, she reached for her bag and pulled a yellow envelope out of it.

Meredith's hands shook slightly as she tore the envelope and unfolded the letter. She looked up at Derek once, who gave her an encouraging nod, then turned her eyes back towards the letter and started reading it.

 _My dear Meredith,_

 _I know that you must be so mad at your Mom right now, for leaving you and your father like that. I understand that you must hate me – that you must think that I'm a stony witch. But, baby, I am none of those things. Believe me, don't believe me, I love you and your father a lot. The choice I made was not easy for me. I had to choose between my dreams, my passions and two of the people I will always love the most in the world. I realize that the choice I made was very selfish on my part, but all I wanted was to chase my dreams, baby girl. That doesn't mean that I don't love you, because I do. I love you more than anything or anyone else in this world, and it hurts me equally to leave you alone like this. But, you have your father. He is a good man – I know that he will take care of you...You are in good hands, Meredith. I know that the choice I am making is not easy for you to understand or accept, but I hope that someday, when you are yourself in love with someone, you will understand what it feels like to chase your passion – your love. Till then, I hope you can find a tiny space in your heart for your mother. Take care, sweetie._

 _With love,_

 _Your mom_

Meredith finished reading the letter, and tears blurred her vision once more. Two tears came rolling out of her eyes, causing Derek to drape an arm around her shoulders supportively. She leant into Derek's warm touch and rested her head on his shoulder as rivulets of tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Derek...I...she..." Meredith whispered, squeezing her eyes shut. "I thought that...that I'll probably hate her after reading this letter – that I'll hate her for abandoning me by choice...But, strangely...I don't...I – I think I understand...I...I love her, Derek," she whispered in a hoarse voice.

"I know, Mer, I know..." Derek whispered back as he pressed a chaste kiss to the crown of her head.

Meredith wrapped her arms tightly around Derek's torso in response. The duo remained locked in their embrace for the longest time, the crackling of the fire burning in the fireplace being the only sound in the room.

* * *

The next day, Meredith and Derek visited the famous 'love lock' bridge, the Pont des Arts, which crosses the Seine and where couples snap a lock or love padlock on the railing to symbolize their eternal love.

"So...Where do you stay in America?" Derek asked casually, attempting to start a conversation as they walked abreast on the bridge.

"Boston," Meredith replied, taking off her sunglasses as they paused to lean against the railing.

"That's cool..." Derek said, looking at her through the dark lens of his sunglasses for a minute before averting his eyes. "When do you go back?" he finally asked, his heart already feeling heavy with melancholia.

"Tomorrow," Meredith mumbled out, scuffing her shoe and looking down at the flowing Seine below them.

"What?!" Derek gasped out, taking off his sunglasses. "Tomorrow?"

Meredith stared at him wordlessly, her own eyes filled with tears as she gazed into his glistening blue pools.

"Meredith...That's...That's not fair," Derek murmured, looking away from her. He couldn't keep looking at her for he feared that the tears would flow freely if he kept looking at her.

"None of it is," Meredith muttered under her breath, fiddling with her wrist watch.

They stood in silence for a few minutes, neither looking at each other. Finally, Derek let out an audible sigh and said, "If you are going to leave tomorrow, then let's make it count."

"What do you mean?" Meredith asked, looking up at him with surprised eyes.

"Come on," Derek said and took her hand.

Fifteen minutes later, they were walking back on the bridge, this time, with two padlocks in their hands. One padlock had the word 'Meredith' engraved on it, and the other had 'Derek.'

"Let's attach these locks to the bridge," Derek said as they stopped by the railing. "Then we have to throw the key into the Seine...It is said to symbolize true, eternal love," he said, causing Meredith to look up at him.

"Derek...?" Meredith murmured, her breath hitching in her throat at the implication of his words.

"Yes, Meredith," Derek said, looking straight into her eyes, "Je t'aime...I love you...I have...fallen in love with you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

Meredith's mouth fell open in shock. "But – I – you – I'm leaving tomorrow, Derek!" she exclaimed loudly, even though her heart soared wildly in her chest.

"I don't care," Derek said firmly. "As long as we love each other, we can always make it work. Do you love me, Meredith?" he asked, his eyes softening.

"I – you – but...Boston, Paris...this is crazy!" Meredith whispered, but Derek just shook his head.

"I told you, I don't care. Do you love me?"

Meredith gulped and looked deep into his cerulean eyes that were staring back at her with so much love in them. Did she love him? Did she want to spend the rest of her life with him, in his arms?

"Yes, Derek. I – I love you," Meredith whispered finally, tears filling her eyes.

Derek's entire face lit up with what had to be the biggest smile in the world. "I love you too," he murmured, gathering her in his arms and claiming her lips with his own.

Meredith kissed him back with all her love and passion for him, before they finally broke apart. Then, they proceeded to attach the padlocks to the railing and threw the key down into the Seine.

"This is forever, Meredith. We will make it work. We will make it work with the spatial barrier, the two continents thing...We will make it work. I just know that I love you, totally and completely," Derek whispered as he wrapped his arms around her lithe waist.

"I love you too...This is forever," Meredith echoed as she wrapped her arms around his neck and captured his lips with her own in a deep, loving, passionate French kiss.

* * *

 **A/N: There you go! Hope you liked it and if you did, please take a moment to let me know what you think. Reviews are like Christmas presents to me, and since Christmas is right around the corner... :)**

 **Thank you for reading! Hope y'all enjoyed!**

A glossary of the French terms –

Au revoir – Bye

Belles fleurs – Beautiful flowers

Bonjour – Hi/Hello

Café Crème – Coffee with cream

Est – ce pas beau – Isn't it beautiful?

Je t'aime – I love you

Joli nom – Nice/pretty name

L'Ambroisie – Ambrosia

Merci – Thank you

Mon restaurant est juste en face de la rue – My restaurant is right across the street

Oui – Yes

Pain au chocolat – Chocolate croissant

Tres magnifique – Very gorgeous

Visite de Paris – Tour of Paris

Votre restaurant – Your restaurant


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